[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Salaams All,

Here are some pictures of a pair of identical blade marks made on apparently two different blade types at the same time and at the same position on each blade and on each side. I noted in my previous letter of swords leaching into the Omani system over the years however I would ask the forum a question;

~ Looking at the wear on these blades what would you attribute their age and where would you reckon they are from ~ ?

These of course are curved Omani Sayfs aren't they?... which attained Iconic status like a number of other Omani variants according to photos of various Sultans up to late 19thC and early 20th C. Known Iconic swords worn thus are Shamshir, Sayf, Zanzibari Nimcha, and Kattara both new and old(though, interestingly, not the somewhat fabled 17th C replacement variant blade for the old Kattara.)

The stamp is "God is Great" though in a form I have not, til now, seen. I would ignore the scabbards in both cases and hilt decoration as having been done relatively recently and of no significance perhaps.

Regards Ibrahiim.